"They are players of exceptional quality and experience," Wenger said. "They have consistently proven themselves at the highest level. There is a great feeling of togetherness and belief in the group and this news will only help to strengthen this further."

Mertesacker and Rosicky could be joined in staying at the Emirates Stadium by midfielder Aaron Ramsey, with the Welshman reportedly offered a bumper £100,000 per week contract. The five year extension is a huge boost to Wenger and Gunners fans, who have witnessed the 23-year-old develop into a key player this season.

But one player who won't be staying with the club is striker Nicklas Bendtner, with the Danish international unhappy at his lack of first-team opportunities. The 26-year-old wants to leave at the end of the season, and believes he can turn his career around by moving to a new club.

"I’m not going to stay at Arsenal – first team football is what I’m after. The plan is for me to move on. I’m ready for a new challenge. When I find my right club, I am sure that everything will be all right in itself, if there are no more injuries," said Bendtner.

Meanwhile, manager Wenger believes Champions League opponents Bayern Munich are weaker than when they won the competition a year ago. New manager Pep Guardiola prides his teams on ball retention, but Wenger doesn't think the Germans are as good as they were under Jupp Heynckes - despite trailing the Bavarian club 2-0 from the first leg of their tie.

“Last year, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben were playing together and they were in great shape, so Bayern were really powerful going forward. This year they still have an awful lot of possession but I think they're less dangerous – we saw that at Arsenal. Even though we were playing with 10 men they didn't really create an awful lot," he said.

Olly Dawes

Olly is a Sports Management graduate and aspiring journalist, with most of his work surrounding football or NFL. He has formed two of his own sites, as well as contributing to a number of others before starting with Here Is The City.